Mon Oct 14 16:15:42 UTC 2024: ## Academic and Human Rights Advocate G.N. Saibaba Dies After Years of Unjust Imprisonment
**New Delhi, October 13, 2023** – G.N. Saibaba, a renowned academic and human rights advocate, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 57 after suffering from post-surgical complications. Saibaba’s death comes just months after he was acquitted by the Bombay High Court of charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a draconian law that has been widely criticized for its misuse against activists and dissidents.
Saibaba, who lived with 90% disability, spent over a decade in prison as an undertrial, facing brutal conditions that severely deteriorated his health. He was arrested in 2014 on trumped-up charges of having links to Maoist groups, a claim that was repeatedly debunked by the courts.
Despite his deteriorating health and the lack of evidence against him, Saibaba was denied bail and parole on multiple occasions, including when he was unable to attend his mother’s funeral. His case, along with that of fellow accused Pandu Pora Narote who died in prison in 2022, highlights the human cost of the UAPA, which often turns the process itself into a punishment.
The Bombay High Court, in acquitting Saibaba and his co-accused, found the evidence presented by the prosecution to be wholly unbelievable and the investigation to be malicious. The Court highlighted the suspicious nature of the alleged seizure of incriminating materials from Saibaba’s residence, noting that the police had chosen an illiterate person as a seizure witness despite the availability of educated individuals on campus.
The High Court further ruled that the UAPA offence of terrorism cannot be established solely based on the alleged downloading of materials containing communist or Naxal philosophy.
Saibaba’s death has sparked widespread outrage and calls for meaningful reforms to prevent the misuse of draconian laws against dissenters. His story serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of using the UAPA to silence critical voices and the urgent need to ensure that those falsely accused and imprisoned under this law are compensated for their lost liberty and dignity.
Experts are calling for systemic changes, including holding accountable those responsible for misusing the UAPA and providing rehabilitation measures for those who have been unjustly detained. They also believe that the courts should consider awarding compensation to individuals who have been acquitted after years of wrongful imprisonment, as the Supreme Court recently suggested.
Saibaba’s legacy will continue to inspire those fighting for justice and human rights in India. His words, “I hope none of you should feel sympathetic to my condition. I don’t believe in sympathy, I only believe in solidarity,” stand as a powerful call for collective action against injustice.
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